


My Greatest Creation

by OnlyTheBeginning



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe
Genre: A side of Howard that Steve never saw, Gen, Steve has feels, Tony never meant to let Steve see that video
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2012-09-04
Packaged: 2017-11-13 12:51:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/503723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyTheBeginning/pseuds/OnlyTheBeginning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I really adore the scene in Iron Man 2 where Howard tells Tony that he was his greatest creation. But I re-watched that scene and thought "What would Steve feel if he saw how Howard became an alcoholic and how he treated Tony as a child?". And this was born. Angst mostly, with some inner realizations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Greatest Creation

Steve had been playing with one of Tony's screens in his workshop while Tony was away on business. Some meeting in Tokyo that couldn't be avoided. 

Tony had begun letting Steve and the others into his workshop ever since they had moved into the Tower after fighting Loki. So while it felt odd not having Tony there, blasting some God-awful rock music and creating new amazing things, he felt a little better just being in a space Tony practically lived in. 

Anyway, Steve had decided to go searching on what Howard had done after he had been frozen. A few dozen articles describing his work on the atom bomb, his expansion of the company, his marriage to Maria, the birth of their only son, and their eventual death had Steve looking deeper. He then found a video reel from Tony's account, a series of bloopers from Howard's welcome speech at the Stark Expo. 

Steve watched as Howard made mistake after mistake, his frustration clear on his face. He watched as his friend began to drink and curse.

And then Steve smiled when he saw Tony playing in the background with one of the buildings. The smile quickly left when he saw Howard's reaction to his son. 

"Put that back! Tony where's your mother? Maria!" he yelled, clearly agitated with the small boy who clearly just wanted his father's attention. 

Steve flinched as he watched Howard gulp drink after drink, his features almost identical to Tony's when he was drunk. But there was one major difference. 

Tony wasn't a mean drunk, more sloppy. Howard became more crude and snappish as he drank.

And then Howard began to speak directly to the camera, addressing Tony. Steve felt his heart clench when he heard Howard say Tony was his greatest creation, but not that he loved him. 

He could now partially understand why Tony had such a problem with accepting him in the beginning. Steve had known Howard before the alcohol, before Howard had become a clear drunk. Tony had only seen his father as the emotionally distant man who had trouble showing affection, which he sadly passed on to his son. 

Once again, Steve wished he hadn't crashed into the ice, that he had been there to straighten out Howard, if only for Tony's sake. 

He couldn't help Tony's past, but maybe he could help his future.


End file.
